This Date in Washington Senators History – Senators entend win streak to 17

1912 – Due to the Titanic disaster, President William Howard Taft belatedly throws out the ceremonial first ball. The Senators increase their winning streak to 17 games with a 6-4 victory over Philadelphia.

1917 – Hooks Dauss and the Tigers nip the Nats, 1-0 in Washington. Ty Cobb steals 3 bases and scores the contest’s only run on Sam Crawford‘s RBI ground out.

1936 – Usually, a pitcher that allows 10 hits and 11 walks is sent to an early shower and, in the pre-free agency era, may be told to ply his trade elsewhere. But Bobo Newsom was no ordinary pitcher. Newsom performs one Houdini act after another in hurling a complete game, 12-4 victory in Detroit. The Sens pot 7 runs in the 7th inning and turn their first ever triple play in franchise history in the 2nd.

1942 – It’s a good news and bad news day for the Washington squad. The good news: Early Wynn and the Sens blowout the Tribe at Cleveland, 7-1. The bad news: The Sens remain in last place and 20 GB the first place Yanks.

1954 – The Senators are the winners of the Harmon Killebrew sweepstakes. Today, the Nats beat out every team in baseball by inking the sought after Killebrew to a contract. Killebrew will begin his journey to Cooperstown in 5 days since he was signed as a “bonus baby”, meaning that he must stay on the big league squad or risk being lost on waivers if the Sens attempt to place him in the minors.

1959 – Killebrew homers and hits a key double in the bottom of the 5th, as the Senators complete a 3 game sweep of the A’s, 7-5. Journeyman RHP Bill Fischer ups his ledger to 6-2 and Roy Sievers bops a home run.

1961 – Having lost the first two games of this weekend series in Boston, the Senators seek to even the series with a doubleheader sweep today. The first game looks bright as the Sens sail into the bottom of the 9th at Fenway with a seemingly solid 12-5 lead. The outlook becomes more rosy as Boston’s Vic Wertz and Bill Harrell record the first 2 outs sandwiched around a Don Buddin single. 2 singles and 3 walks later, the Nats advantage is cut to 12-8 with the bases loaded with Sox. Long time Nats fans could probably predict what would happen next: A grand slam over the Monster by Boston’s Jim Pagligroni to tie it at 12. Boston’s Russ Nixon puts the Sens out of their misery with a game ending RBI single for the demoralizing 13-12 loss.

To make matters worse, there is a second game to be played. Perhaps the shock of the first game had yet to sink in as the Nats make a valiant, late inning comeback. Nonetheless, it is another defeat, 6-5 in 13 innings, to end this disastrous series.

Minnesota native Jimmy Pofahl was purchased by the Senators from the Minneapolis Millers, then of the American Association, in the fall of 1939. First appearing in a Senators uniform in 1940, his rookie season would be his most active when he played in 119 games, primarily at shortstop, batting .234.

In 1941 his BA dropped almost 50 points as his playing time was restricted to 22 games. 1942 would see him appearing in 84 games, raising his BA by 21 points however it wouldn’t be enough to keep him on the major league roster as he made his last appearance in the majors in September of that year.